Muskegon Community College suspending all in-person classes due to coronavirus outbreak

Muskegon Community College will suspend all in-person classes beginning 4pm Thursday, March 12 due to concerns about the coronavirus, MCC President Dale Nesbary announced today.

The college will begin delivering instruction through distance education starting the week of March 16. This is expected to continue through April 3. College officials will continue to monitor the situation and will determine by Friday, March 27 if that time frame will be changed.

MCC’s decision comes after consulting with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, other Michigan higher education leaders, and the local health department about COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. Attempts to mitigate the spread of the infectious disease have ended in-person classes at colleges throughout Michigan, including Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids Community College, Michigan State University, and the University of Michigan, among others.

“This measure is being taken to ensure continued campus safety and help slow the spread of the illness, which helps ease demand on health care systems now and in the coming days and weeks,” Nesbary wrote in a March 12 message to the campus community. “There are no known cases of COVID-19 on campus.”

Yesterday, March 11, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state health officials said communities need to take aggressive precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, otherwise known as coronavirus. One of their recommendations was for communities to cancel any large gatherings (events of more than 100 people), conferences, and sporting events.

In light of that request, Nesbary said campus events that anticipate an attendance of more than 100 people will be canceled.

“More direction will be provided to faculty later today, and students can anticipate more guidance from instructors in the coming days” Nesbary wrote in the same March 12 message. “We are grateful to our faculty and staff members who are preparing to deliver instruction to our students at a distance.”